Fraud alert! Beware of ‘Hi Mum’ message on WhatsApp

A new scam called the Hi Mum or family impersonation scam is buzzing around that has caused many users in Australia to lose $7 million or more than ₹57 crore in 2022, reports The Independent. The number of victims of the scam increased tenfold in the past three months, according to the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC).

How does the Hi Mum scam work?

The scam starts with the victim receiving a message on WhatsApp from the scamsters posing as a family member or a friend claiming that they have lost or damaged their phone. Once they have earned the victim’s trust, they will say that they need help which in most cases is the financial one. Victim then sends money to them thinking they are helping their son/daughter. But in reality they are being cheated by the scammer.

While, there have been no reports of the scam in India, it is advisable to practice caution when contacted by someone via phone or message. Always, double check the person’s identity before sending them money. Here are some tips that can help you avoid falling victims to online frauds:

– Keep your social media profile private

– Do not share your personal mobile numbers of websites you do not trust

– Do not share your OTP with anyone

– Do no share your bank card details like PIN and CVV with others

– Shop from reliable and secure websites only

– Access internet via safe browsers

– Do not answer calls from unknown numbers that you find suspicious

– Keep your smartphone and laptops up to date with latest firmware updates

– Do not click on URLs shared by unknown contacts on WhatsApp